Puppy love
by Ami DragonHeart
Summary: The prince of the Li kingdom, Syaoran saves a wolf pup, but what happens when he finds out his new 'pet' has some amazing powers. S&S.
1. Chapter 1

A small pup ran through the forest, fleeing the hunters, throwing a quick glance over its shoulders at its pursuers. It turned back in time to knock itself out on a very solid tree trunk. A young man sitting against the opposite side of the tree, heard a small thump, and gazed around the tree to find the small limp creature. He smiled slightly, he'd always had a bit of a soft spot for wolves, and this little wolf cub was no different. Hearing the hunters, he quickly scooped the little creature up and slipped it into his jacket.

The hunters crashed into the clearing, disturbing the young man's peace. "You there," one of the hunters shouted, as he walked up to him, "have you seen a wolf cub come past here?" The young man tilted his head up. "No," he replied calmly staring into the man's eyes, "I haven't seen one come past." The hunter stepped back in shock. "Prince Syaoran," he gasped, "Please, your highness, forgive the intrusion, we are merely hunting wolves." Syaoran raised his eyebrows, his gaze silently boring into the hunter's, he despised wolf hunters. He could understand when a wolf went rogue and starting killing people, that it had to be stopped for the good of the community, but hunting them for sport always struck a raw nerve with him. Subconsciously, Syaoran wrapped one protective arm over the slight bulge in his jacket. The hunters began to move off, but just as the last one was leaving the clearing Syaoran called out, "And what did the wolf pup do to make you hunt it?" The hunter turned around, flashing a bloodthirsty grin, "Its pack filched our provisions and stole our weapons," he replied and began walking off again. Syaoran nodded, "but you didn't answer my question," he told the hunter, "I asked what the cub did." The hunter turned back, "It stole my dagger."

Syaoran chuckled to himself as the hunters moved off to hunt for the pup in another area. 'How could one little pup cause so much trouble?' not that he really minded though, the more trouble the pup caused for the hunters the better. He reached into his jacket and pulled the tiny creature out, and sure enough, it proudly held a dagger firmly in its mouth. A sudden thought popped into his head. Once satisfied that it was a girl, he began to think of a name while his fingers stroked her soft, silky, auburn fur. One eye slowly opened, followed by the other, and his amber eyes were met by two bright emeralds. In his shock, he accidentally dropped her. She landed on a carpet of cherry blossoms, scattering all the tiny blossoms to the winds. All but one, that is. The one that landed on her head. Enlightenment hit him, "That's what I'll call you," he whispered to her as he rubbed her ears, "I'll call you Sakura." She licked his fingers, as he noticed that she wasn't putting any weight on her front paw. He picked her up and placed her back onto his lap. His hands then gently touched her paw, causing her to whimper. Cursing himself for not having any bandages, he tore the bottom of his shirt and wrapped it around her tiny paw and securing it tightly before slipping her into his jacket pocket. He mounted his horse, which had been grazing in the clearing, and rode for home, while Sakura curled up to sleep in his pocket.


	2. Chapter 2

He rode into the stables, handing his horse to an ostler. Normally he would've rubbed his horse down and cleaned the tack himself, but because of his little Sakura, still tucked safely in his pocket, he was running slightly late. He only had enough time to clean up before dinner, and in his current state, his mother would have quite a few things to say, and none of them would be blessings. He ran to his rooms, quickly grabbing a fine silk shirt, cotton breeches and cotton over-shirt.

Closing the bathroom door behind him, he sighed, thankfully the maids had already prepared a hot bath for him. He gently extracted Sakura from his pocket and set her down on a chair overlooking the bathtub so he could watch her as he bathed. She stared up at him with her gorgeous green eyes and gently cocked her head to one side. He felt his heart beat a little quicker as he stared into her emerald depths. "You're cute Sakura," he told her, "real cute."

Syaoran removed his jacket, placing it over the back of the chair before taking off his shirt. He put his shirt on top of his jacket. He began to fiddle with his breeches when Sakura suddenly turned away from him. She stretched her head up and pulled his shirt down onto the chair before hiding her head under its folds. Syaoran chuckled at his pup's antics while he finished taking his clothes off and sunk into the boiling water.

Syaoran quickly scrubbed every inch of skin, dried himself and dressed in his fresh clothes. He bent down so his face was level with the chair before slowly pulling the fallen shirt of his Sakura. He smiled to himself, her eyes were tightly shut. "It's okay," he told her, "you can look now." She slowly opened one eye, then the other. Syaoran chuckled as he picked up his shy pup and carried her back to his bedroom.

Syaoran gently placed her on his bed before entering his walk-in wardrobe. He came back with a few jackets. He placed them on the bed before her and walked into the centre of the room. "Which one do you think I should wear tonight Sakura?" He asked her while turning around slowly so she could get a good view of his clothes. Sakura stared at his forest green shirt and his brown over shirt and breeches. She then slowly started pacing his bed, limping slightly as she began to admire her choice of jackets. Sakura finally placed her tiny paw on a forest green jacket, embroidered with tiny peonies, and trimmed in gold. A smile crept over his face as he picked up her choice. "Perfect," He told her.

Syaoran hung the rejected jackets back up before putting Sakura's choice on. He stood back to admire her choice when the door suddenly burst open and a blue-haired young man walked into the room. "Damn it Eriol," Syaoran yelled, "don't you ever knock?" Eriol smiled at Syaoran, which only succeeded in annoying him even more. Syaoran was about to yell at him to get out when Eriol suddenly turned and walked towards his bed, picking up a tiny bundle of fluff. "Another one of you strays?" Eriol asked mildly, placing Sakura back on the bed while Syaoran fumed. "Get out NOW!" "Temper, temper," Eriol replied as he slowly walked out. He stopped at the door, spinning around to face Syaoran, "She's quite cute," he told him, "Unusual eyes though." Eriol left before Syaoran could reply.

Syaoran quickly strode over to the bed and picked his cute fluff-ball up and cuddled her close, while checking her swollen paw. Sakura felt the worry roll off him in waves. She lifted her tiny head up and gingerly licked his nose, causing him to chuckle. Sakura felt the tension slowly melt away, as he scrunched up his nose against her licks. Syaoran gently placed her in his pocket before heading down to dinner.

Syaoran sat down at the food laden table and, to his dismay, Eriol decided to sit opposite him. "I see you decided to bring you're cute friend with you," Eriol remarked as they began to fill their plates. Syaoran glared at him, he could tell, this was going to be a long night. Syaoran continued to slip small amounts of food to Sakura throughout the meal. Syaoran felt himself gradually going insane as he heard comment after comment from Eriol about his little Sakura. He spent most of his time trying not to listen to Eriol's annoying voice until he made one particular comment. "Huh?" He asked. Eriol's eyebrows rose, "I said," with much relish, "I wonder how long it'll take Yelan to find out about your cute little friend, that is, unless she already knows." Syaoran paled slightly, taking a quick glance up the table to where his mother was sitting. Yelan was indeed watching her son, and with particular interest. 'Did she really know?' he wondered, 'Or was this all just one big coincidence?' Sakura obviously thought he'd spent enough time contemplating the subject, because she began to nuzzle his hand, begging for more food. "Exactly how much do u eat little one?" Syaoran asked her, smiling slightly as he slipped her another morsel. Syaoran quickly finished his meal, and left for his rooms, feigning illness.

Sakura hid her head under the covers while Syaoran changed into his pyjamas. He smiled again at her shy little ways before climbing under the covers himself. Syaoran blew out the candle, and pulled Sakura's tiny form into his arms. She snuggled in close and soon fell asleep by his side. Syaoran fell asleep a stroking her soft fur.


	3. Chapter 3

Syaoran felt a warm, fuzzy sense of peace with the world as he woke. The particular sensation you only get from waking up late under a pile of blankets on a cold day. He didn't want to move or even open his eyes for fear of shaking the drowsiness still enveloping him. He wrapped his arm tighter around the source of his warmth, pulling Sakura closer towards him. His hand slid slowly up her spine to rest between her shoulder blades, pressing her body into his. Syaoran froze. Since when did Sakura's body become so long? He moved his fingers over her back. Her skin was as soft as silk, but, hang on, skin?

Syaoran slowly opened his eyes, taking in a strange girl sleeping beside him. The girl sighed happily as her eyes fluttered open. Syaoran screamed as he pushed her roughly out of the bed. She landed on the cold, hard floor while Syaoran began to search everywhere, calling out Sakura's name. Not finding Sakura anywhere in his room, he turned on the girl. He pulled her up, standing her in front of him. "Where is she?" he demanded, "What did you do with her?" The girl stared up at him with wide eyes, shaking in fear. Syaoran threw her against the wall, "Where's my Sakura?" She threw up her left arm in self-defence as he approached her. He suddenly stopped, staring at her left hand, or more importantly, what was on it. Her hand was bound in a scrap of torn green cotton, the same green as the shirt he tore for Sakura yesterday. "If you're going to hurt me, just do it." Her soft voice quivered with dread. Syaoran walked towards her, before running his hand through her auburn hair. It was as soft and silky as the wolf pup's. "Open your eyes," he commanded. Her eyelids slowly opened as two tears ran down her pale cheeks. His hand gently wiped away her tears as he stared into her emerald depths. "My Sakura," he whispered before pulling her into his warm embrace, "I'm sorry, I thought my little wolf had gone missing, but I finally found you."

She began to shiver against his body. Syaoran glanced down, only to realise that she was completely naked. His face flushed bright red as he pulled the thick blanket off his bed and threw it over her shoulders before racing into his wardrobe. He walked back holding one of his shirts. He handed the clothing to Sakura before walking into another room while she pulled the green silk over her head, before pulling the blanket back around her.

Syaoran chuckled when he realised the garment reached down to her knees. He gently lifted her up and carried her back to the bed, slipping her back under the covers. "Show me your hand," he told her as he sat down on top of the covers, "I couldn't do much for it while you were a wolf, but humans I can heal." She slipped small her injured out from under the blankets and placed in his own large hand. His other hand wrapped itself over the top of hers. "I'm afraid your wrist is broken," he told her, "So this might hurt a little." She closed her eyes and braced herself for pain, but not before noticing the soft green glow emanating from his hands. She winced as she felt her bones crack back into place, but his presence soothed her while his magic mended the bones and reduced the swelling. He unwrapped the tattered material from her wrist. "See," he whispered, "good as new." She stared up at him with her big, innocent eyes, "thank you," she told him, "for everything. I'm sorry I scared you earlier, I didn't mean to change back, but I'm sorry for all the trouble it caused." She closed her eyes, too guilty and ashamed to meet his gaze. She felt another tear roll down her face. He brushed her tear aside, "It's okay," he told her, his voice gentle and calm, "you didn't mean to. Now sleep," he cupped her cheek in one hand, forcing her to look up at his smiling face, "a healing sticks better if you do." She smiled slightly and she wriggled further into the warmth of his bed. "I'll be here when you wake up," he told, watching her drift off to sleep before leaving the room in search of his mother.


	4. Chapter 4

Yelan studied her son closely as he stood before her. It intrigued her that he had requested her audience, it had to be something of great importance for her son to even contemplate questioning her on the matter. She signalled for him to begin. "I've stumbled upon an amazing discovery," he told her, "I found a girl who can not only communicate with wolves, but become one as well." Whatever Yelan had been expecting, this was definitely not it. Yelan's eyebrows were now in danger of disappearing into her hairline. "I wish for permission to take her as my student," he told her. Yelan regained her composure as she coldly stared at her son. "If this girl does have magic," she told him icily, "she should be taught by Eriol. He is the youngest to receive his mastery and therefore more capable of tutoring her in her studies." Syaoran winced inwardly. His mind showed him her big, emerald eyes and he knew that he could never allow such an innocent creature to be condemned to suffer such an egotistical pervert. "While normally I would," he told her, his voice as evenly as possible, "her magic is entirely new, and as there is no one skilled in her particular brand of magic, as the one who found her, it's my duty, and in this case, my pleasure, to teach her." He smiled inside, he knew he had her now, there was no way she could break the laws of magical teaching, could she? "She will join us in my study for lunch," she told him, "when I will decide her tutor, until then, you are dismissed." She stood, ending their discussion, and walked out of the room. Syaoran sighed and went in search of Tomoyo. Sakura would need to be dressed to perfection to meet his mother's analytical eye.

Syaoran walked into his chambers, Tomoyo and a few maids trailing behind him. The maids quickly set about preparing a hot bath, while Tomoyo took the still-sleepy girl into another room to take her measurements. Syaoran stood patiently outside the door, waiting for Sakura.

Tomoyo wrapped her cord around Sakura's slim waist, "Hi," she exclaimed, "I'm Tomoyo by the way, the royal seamstress. When Prince Syaoran told me he wanted a gown made for a beautiful young girl, I didn't realise how true that was." Sakura stared at Tomoyo, "What did her dress look like?" she inquired, "Was she really that pretty? I wonder if he'll introduce me to her." Tomoyo collapsed into a fit of giggles, "You really are cute," she told her, "This place can be harsh sometimes, so if you ever need someone to talk to, just know I'm always there for you, okay?" Sakura's eyes widened as her lips broke into a large grin, "Really?" she asked, "I've never had a friend before, would you be my friend?" Tomoyo glanced up into Sakura's big, puppy-dog eyes and smiled, there was no way she could turn down someone that cute, "I'll be your best friend," she replied as she opened the door. "I'll be back by the time you finish your bath with a few choices," she told them as she left for her workroom.

Syaoran took Sakura's hand and led her to the bathroom. He laid out soaps, sponges and towels before leaving the room, closing the door behind him. He sat on the other side, listening to her splash around in the boiling water. Sakura smelt each of the soaps before choosing one that smelt of Jasmine. She sank back, allowing the hot water to ease the tension in her muscles while she scrubbed away ever tiny speck of dirt. When the water began to lose its heat, she finally stepped out of the tub, wrapping one towel around her while using another to dry to her long hair. Sakura put Syaoran's shirt back on before exiting the bathroom.

Tomoyo had returned. Tomoyo and Syaoran were now sorting through the many dresses now littering the bed. Once they had sifted through most of the outfits, Syaoran picked up a pink gown. "What about this one?" he asked Tomoyo. She glanced up at the dress. "Sakura," Tomoyo asked, "try this one on." Sakura gently took the garment from Syaoran before disappearing into the wardrobe. She returned moments later wearing the strapless gown.

The dress consisted of two layers. The inner layer was of light pink silk, which hugged her form and emphasised her womanly curves. An outer layer of chiffon, which was pale pink at the top and slowly graduated into a deep burgundy at the bottom, added depth to the design. Her hair fell around her bare, creamy white shoulders. Tomoyo leapt up, forcing Sakura to sit on a chair while she pulled her hair back into an elegant twist. Tomoyo quickly pinned a few cherry blossoms in Sakura's hair before starting on her make up.

Syaoran stood back to admire Tomoyo's work. His amber eyes took in everything from the way the dress matched Sakura's bubbly nature, to her full, pink lips and innocent smile. She turned slowly for him, "So," she asked, "how do I look?" Syaoran reached up and brushed a stray hair back into place before cupping her cheek in his large palm, "beautiful," he told her, "but there's just one thing missing." He walked out of his rooms, and returned a few minutes later with two, pink diamond, drop earrings, and a white gold necklace with a pink diamond shaped like a tear. Syaoran gently slipped the earrings into her ears. He moved to stand behind her as he fiddled with the clasp of the necklace. Sakura felt her heart quicken slightly as his warmth breath tickled her skin. He spun her to face him, his strong hands still holding her bare shoulders, "perfect," he whispered, "now, would you care to join me for lunch?" he asked as he held out his arm to her. A shy smile played over her lips, "I'd love to." Tomoyo 'kawaii'ed quietly to herself as she watched Sakura wrap her slender arm around Syaoran's muscular one as he led her to his mother's study.

Syaoran and Sakura entered Yelan's study only to be met with the one person Syaoran didn't want to see. "Eriol," Syaoran told him curtly, "may I introduce the lovely Sakura. Sakura," he added softly, "meet this perverted bastard." "Syaoran," yelled a cold voice from behind them, "watch your language." Eriol seized the opportunity to grasp Sakura's hand and bring it to his lips, "Lovely is right," he told her, "especially your eyes. You have exquisite eyes." Syaoran quickly grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her to face Yelan. "Mother," he told her, "this is Sakura. Sakura, this is Queen Yelan." Sakura immediately dipped into a curtsey. Yelan placed her fingers under Sakura's chin, forcing her to rise and look up into the older woman's face. "It's a pleasure to meet you," Sakura whispered, "your majesty." Yelan gave a small smile, a rarity for her. Removing her fingers, "let's sit shall we?" she asked before striding over to the table.

Syaoran escorted Sakura to the table, pulling out her chair for her, before taking his own seat beside her. Sensing her nerves he gave her hand a small squeeze under the table, hoping his mother wouldn't realise. Sakura gave him what she hoped was a bright smile. Yelan obviously didn't notice this exchange, or at least, ignored it if she did. Eriol, on the other hand, did notice, much to his displeasure.

While they were waiting for their lunch to arrive Yelan decided to discuss the matter. "My son has been kind enough to inform me of your magic," Yelan told Sakura, "what exactly can you do?" Sakura shyly glanced up the table to Yelan. Syaoran slid his hand under hers, gently rubbing it, encouraging her to speak. "Well, I can understand wolves," she told her, "and I can transform into a wolf at will, but I don't think I'm very good at it, because I can only turn into a wolf cub. I still haven't managed to become a grown wolf." She looked down sadly, ashamed of her limited gift. She prayed silently for the food to come, so she wouldn't have to speak again, but her prayers went unanswered. "So how old are you?" Yelan's cold voice demanded. "I'm sorry," Sakura whispered, 'but I don't know. I don't remember anything before a couple of years ago. I don't even remember if I have a family, all I remember is my wolf pack." Tears silently made their way down her pale cheeks. Syaoran could see his mother about to comment and cut her off. "Hey," he whispered, "a girl with no past can still have a bright future." He gently wiped the tears from her face, before cupping her chin, forcing her to look up at him, "and I see yours shining as brightly as the stars." "Thank you," she whispered back, smiling wetly up at his kind face. Eriol's smiling mask cracked slightly, allowing some of his anger to slip onto his face. Yelan had a hard time trying to disguise her shock, never had she seen her son this friendly with a girl. The tension was broken by maids arriving with lunch.

Lunch was eaten quickly and silently. Sakura briefly thanked the gods for this brief interlude, but it was soon over. "Now, Sakura," Yelan told her curtly, "my son wishes to tutor you in the ways of your magic..." Sakura cut her off, "Oh. No. I couldn't possibly," she stammered, "your son has already been so kind to me, I couldn't possibly ask him to teach me as well." "Nonsense," Syaoran cut in, "You have untrained magic, and now that it's been discovered, the laws of magic clearly state that you must be taught how to use your gift properly." "Speaking of which," Yelan interjected, "Eriol here already has his Mastery in magic, which means he is clearly the best qualified to teach her." Now Syaoran was mad, not only was his mother disregarding the laws of magic, the sacred code that all magic users must adhere to, but Eriol was grinning like a Cheshire cat. He took a moment to collect himself before speaking. "Mother," Syaoran replied, "I have already spoken to you regarding this matter. Since Sakura's gift is so unusual, there is no one skilled in her field, which means that as I discovered her magic, I am now bound by magical law to be her teacher and legal guardian, considering she has no family. Are you really willing to have the masters of the Magical Academy in outrage because you showed no respect to the laws of magic?" Yelan stood, "I have made my decision," she told them, "and my decision is final."


	5. Chapter 5

"Eriol," Yelan began, "I expect you to assist Syaoran to the best of your ability, should he require it. Syaoran, take your student and prepare accommodations for her. Since she is now officially your charge, she will live here in the palace. You are dismissed." She nodded curtly to them. She waited for them to leave before allowing a smile to make its presence known. She had to admit, this girl had already changed Syaoran so much, and he didn't even know it. After only being in her presence for a matter of hours, he was already more assertive. He had taken charge of the situation and argued his case with eloquence. Maybe he was more ready to be king then first thought.

Once back in Syaoran's chambers, Sakura threw herself into his arms, a grin plastered on her face. "Thank you so much," she cried, resting her head on his well-toned chest, "You were so amazing in there. You really stood up for me, no one's ever done that before. Thank you Prince Syaoran." Syaoran held her close, embracing her in his warmth, "Firstly," he told her gently, "I may be your prince and teacher, but I am first and foremost your friend, so please, just call me Syaoran. And secondly, if I hadn't stepped in I wouldn't have been able to look at myself, and I wouldn't have been a very good friend either now would I?" He tilted her chin up to face him, kissing her forehead softly before giving her a roguish wink. "Now, as your teacher, it's also my duty to make sure you're properly outfitted," Syaoran grabbed her tiny hand and led her towards the door, "so, lets go visit our dear friend Tomoyo and see what she can do for us today shall we?"

Tomoyo welcomed them both into her workroom, bringing out two stools for them. "Now," she asked, "what can I do for you today? Or is this a social visit?" Syaoran smiled, unconsciously still holding Sakura's hand, "a bit of both," he replied. Tomoyo's smile widened, "well then," she replied, "Let's get the business side out of the way then shall we?" Syaoran watched Tomoyo's fingers practically itching to grab her measuring cords and design blocks. "Sakura needs some clothes," he told her, "She'll need some breeches, shirts, and other necessary items to wear while practising her magic. They have to be hard wearing clothes too mind you, we'll be doing a lot of messy work. She'll also need a collection of gowns for dinner and balls, but most importantly we need some mages' robes. I want them to be standard apprentice robes," he turned to Sakura, "the borders you see on mages' robes reflect their status, while apprentices have none. The colour of the robes reflects the colour of your magic, or, in an apprentice's case, the colour of their teacher's. As my student, you shall have emerald green robes." Tomoyo was already halfway through designing a gown for Sakura. Syaoran, knowing that Tomoyo would no longer notice their presence decided to take her on a tour of the palace.

When Syaoran and Sakura returned to Syaoran's chambers, they discovered piles of clothes stacked neatly on the bed as well as a couple of blankets. A bath had already been drawn so Syaoran chose one of Sakura's new dresses and placed it into the bathroom for her so she could have her bath first.

While Sakura splashed around in the hot water, Syaoran took a practise sword down from his wall and began the complicated twists, turns and pivots of a pattern dance. Half way through, Syaoran began to feel restricted by his dress shirt and removed it, tossing it carelessly onto the bed. He soon resumed his training, shutting everything else out while he concentrated solely on his movements and on the sword in his hands. Syaoran rounded his workout off, pivoting while bringing the sword back up into the initial guard position. He was brought back to reality by the sound of applause. Spinning around he noticed Sakura sitting on the bed clapping loudly.

She had been sitting there for a while, watching intently as his well-defined body moved with grace. His muscular chest twisting with such precision as glistening beads of sweat ran down the length of his spine. She sat silently on the bed, trying not to break his concentration, but once she realised he had finished she couldn't stop herself from applauding. She rushed up to him, adoration gleaming in her eyes as she beamed at him, "You're so amazing," she told him, "you move like your sword is a part of you, not a separate object. It just seems so natural, like you were born with a sword in your hands." A faint blush stained Syaoran's cheeks. He had been told similar things by his training masters, but hearing it from her just sounded so much better. "Could you teach me?" she asked him, her big eyes pleading with his, "could you teach me how to wield a sword like that too?" Syaoran stared at the girl in front of him. She was wearing an emerald gown, embroidered with tiny pink cherry blossoms. The delicate silks hugged her petite form, and the top half of her hair was pulled away from her face, a silver cherry blossom pinning it at the back of her head. She looked so fragile, so innocent, that he just couldn't picture her being able to lift a sword, let alone wield one. Still, one look at her puppy-dog eyes, and he couldn't bring himself to say no. "Of course I will," he replied, giving her a roguish wink before grabbing his own clothes and disappearing into the bathroom.

Syaoran bathed quickly, returning to the main room wearing a white dress shirt, and brown breeches and sleeveless brown tunic. Sakura ruffled his still-damp hair on her way to the wardrobe, returning with a cream jacket embroidered with brown wolves. Syaoran grinned at her choice, the jacket she'd chosen was one of his favourites. He quickly slipped it on before extending his arm to her and escorted her to dinner.

Once they entered the dining hall, Sakura was instantly mobbed by four extremely hyper girls. Syaoran pulled them off before pulling Sakura to her feet. "The four women who just attacked you," he told her, "are my sisters. Ladies," he told the four women still crowding Sakura, "this is Sakura, my new student." Sakura quickly greeted them while Syaoran dragged her to the table. Once seated, Sakura stared into the sapphire blue eyes of the person sitting opposite her. "Eriol," she exclaimed, "what a pleasant surprise." Hearing this, Syaoran glanced up to see Eriol sitting opposite Sakura. Eriol and Sakura chatted for most of the dinner. Syaoran didn't know why, but seeing Sakura acting so friendly with Eriol irked him, but seeing Eriol flirting with Sakura made Syaoran growl. Sakura obviously heard the deep rumblings coming from Syaoran's throat because she kept giving him worried looks while passing him glasses of water, making Eriol laugh at him, which only caused the growling to get louder. Sakura finally placed a hand on his forehead, convinced that the noise was due to illness. Syaoran blushed while Eriol finally laughed so hard he fell off of his chair. Syaoran used it as an excuse to save the last of his dignity, if he still had any left, to grab Sakura and flee to the safety of his chambers, far away from Eriol and his stupid smile.

Syaoran opened the door, only to find that a bed for Sakura hadn't been brought up yet. Syaoran walked into his wardrobe to change for bed, while Sakura changed in the bedroom. Syaoran returned to find Sakura spreading out blankets on the floor. He walked over to her. He gently ruffled her hair, earning him a pout for messing up her silky locks. "Come on," he told her, "It's far too cold tonight for you to sleep on the floor. You take the bed, I'll take the floor." Sakura glanced at the king-sized bed, then back to Syaoran. "That's stupid," she told him, "there's enough room for both of us." Syaoran smiled, sweeping her off her feet and carrying her over to the bed before she could change her mind. He gently placed her on the bed, pulling the covers up over her before climbing under the blankets himself. He lay facing her. Reaching up he brushed a stray hair off her face, "good night my magelet," he whispered. "Magelet?" she asked. "Yes magelet," he told her, "it means little mage." He kissed her lightly on the forehead as she closed her eyes, watching her fall into a deep sleep, before slowly drifting off himself.


	6. Chapter 6

A tickling sensation woke Syaoran. He opened his eyes, and quickly blinked. All he could see was a sea of auburn. His chin rested on the back of Sakura's head, while her hair whipped across her face as he breathed. His arms encircled her slim waist, one leg wrapped possessively over hers. He inhaled her own delicate scent as he drew her closer to him, pressing her back into his chest. He was amazed by how perfectly she fit in his arms, almost like she was never supposed to leave his embrace. Syaoran bent his head slightly, nuzzling the tender skin between her shoulder blades.

Sakura gently opened her eyes, a sense of security encompassing her being. She'd never felt so safe and warm. Her skin began to tingle as she felt as soft pressure on her back. She closed her eyes, allowing the feeling to wash over her, comforting her. Sakura gasped as he nuzzled one particular spot. Syaoran stopped, propping himself up high enough to gaze at her face, "Don't tell me you're ticklish," he whispered, smiling slightly. Sakura pouted, damn him for finding her weakness. "No," she told him stubbornly. He unwrapped one arm from around her. "Really?" he asked her, softly dragging one finger down her back. He felt her shudder at his touch. "Really," she replied, just as stubbornly as before. Syaoran slowly traced the space between her shoulder blades before adding a touch more pressure. Sakura gasped again, trying to stifle a giggle fighting to make itself heard. Syaoran grinned wolfishly, before attacking her body with his fingers. He tickled her back, her stomach, even her neck while she giggled helplessly, trying to wriggle away from him, but never getting very far.

Sakura finally managed to whisper "mercy," between giggles. Syaoran's attacks stopped instantly. He found himself staring down into her lovely green eyes. He was positioned over the top of her, supporting himself with his elbows and knees. He flopped down beside her, unfortunately, they had wriggled to the edge of the bed and he fell the wrong way. Sakura screamed when she realised that his arms were still around her, and when he fell off the bed, he took her with him.

Syaoran landed hard on the cold floor, before bracing himself for Sakura. He prevented her from hurting herself in the fall, but was rewarded by being severely winded by the force of the fall. Both lay there heaving, trying to regain their breath. A faint pink blush stained Syaoran's face as Sakura's breath tickled his neck. His heart began to thump faster from her nearness.

They rolled over so now Syaoran was on top. Sakura gazed up into his amber depths, becoming entranced by them. She lay beneath him, panting slightly, while he reached one hand up to her face, gently brushing away the hair that had fallen across her pale skin. He was barely aware of his hand's movements and didn't realise that there was no longer any hair obscuring her face. Sakura closed her eyes as Syaoran bent his head closer to hers. Her breathing became laboured as she felt his breath play against her face. His cheek pressed against hers as he whispered into her ear, "I believe I won that round." He slid off her and stood, walking into the wardrobe to select his clothes for the day. She sat up, glaring at him as he strode back into the room, fully clothed. Syaoran just sighed at her, "are you going to get dressed?" he asked, "or are you just going to stay in that all morning?" staring pointedly at her silk night gown. "Personally, I wouldn't mind if you did," he told her, grinning widely, "but you might get a little bit cold." She stormed out of the room, into the wardrobe to change into her clothes for the day.

Syaoran sat on the bed, contemplating what had just transpired. Since when did a woman have such an effect on him? Never before had anyone been able to make him feel like that. It was almost like she completed him. He was just so comfortable around her, even though he'd only known her for a day. It was like there was an invisible string connecting the two of them, joining their souls. Okay, he told himself, enough babbling for today. He began to breathe deeply, centring himself, and started his meditation.

Sakura began the arduous task of choosing her clothes, mumbling to herself. Why did she feel so upset? She closed her eyes in an attempt to calm herself, but as soon as she did, an image of him popped into her head. She felt a sharp pain, twisting in her chest. Why did it hurt so much? He hadn't even done anything to her, so why did her heart shudder with unspent tears? She clutched her chest while two large tears rolled down her cheeks. She swiped them away, collecting herself as she changed.

She walked out, dressed in a loose shirt, and a pair of breeches. Syaoran glanced up and noticed a small pout on her lips. Her eyes had lost their lustrous sparkle. Uh oh, he'd really stuck his foot in it. He'd seen his sisters use that look. It meant he'd somehow managed to hurt her, and no matter how many times he apologised, he'd just have to wait for her to respond…unless…

He held out a hand for her. Sakura looked away, pretending she hadn't seen it. "Sakura," Syaoran called softly, "why don't you follow me? I'll take you down to the training yards and you can meet my friends. You may not be able to swing a sword, but I can at least teach you some staff fighting." Sakura spun to face him, a smile replacing her pout. Her eyes glinted with joy as she ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck. "Thank you," she cried as he pulled her into a hug. Syaoran smiled to himself as he led her out the door, he knew she couldn't stay mad at him for long.


	7. Chapter 7

Syaoran entered the practise courts, Sakura trailing after him, still holding his hand. Leading her past the men sparring against each other, they walked into the storage room at the far end. The room was large with shelves lining the walls. Each fighter had their own shelf which held their practise weapons, there were also large shelves dedicated to weapons without an owner. Syaoran sorted through the un-claimed staves before finally settling on a staff, which he passed to Sakura. She admired the weapon in her hands. It was made of teak and just slightly taller then she was. She liked the heft of it, it was light enough for her to wield, but heavy enough to land a sound blow. It was perfect, as if made for her. She beamed at Syaoran while he picked up his own practise staff and led her back out to the courts.

Syaoran stood behind Sakura, pressing his body against hers as he adjusted her body into a proper fighting stance. His arms wrapped around her, placing his hands on hers. Slowly he slid her hands along the wooden surface, guiding them to the correct places. Once she was in the correct position, he began to guide her whole body through the basic strikes and blocks. Every man in the courts had now stopped what they were doing, staring avidly at the pair. Shocked looks appeared on their faces as Syaoran gently instructed Sakura. It was unbelievable, not only was Syaoran helping someone, but he wasn't shouting commands. What really made the picture impossible was that he was instructing a girl. The last girl to ask him to teach her had been Meiling, and all that had achieved was a screaming match about how weak girls were.

A crowd had begun to gather as Syaoran removed his hands from Sakura's. He stood before her, his own staff in his hands, and began a series of strikes and blocks. He moved slowly, allowing Sakura to see where he was aiming and move to counter it. Gradually they began to move into a steady rhythm. Realising that she had mastered the basics, Syaoran steadily quickened the pace. Sakura felt the real world disappear, the only thing she could see was Syaoran. She gradually let go, loosing herself to the rhythm, meeting his blows soundly with hers. Syaoran began to work in some more difficult moves, noticing with pride how Sakura took them in her stride, rising to meet the new challenge. He suddenly grabbed her staff with his hands, startling her out of her daze, bringing her crashing back to reality. A loud noise met her ears. Turning around she realised that not only had a crowd gathered, but they were all cheering her. Syaoran silently agreed with them. She had earned their praise, not only had she learnt quickly and well, but she'd managed to keep up with him. Sakura turned shyly to Syaoran, trying to hide from her admirers, only to be met with one of his charming smiles. Sakura felt her already pounding heart double its pace. The men were suddenly silent. Had Syaoran the heartless just smiled? And at a girl?

Syaoran called out to one of the men in the room, still sliming warmly at Sakura. She returned his gaze, her eyes dancing with the glee of knowing he was proud of her. In truth, she had been nervous about learning to fight because she didn't think she could face the disappointment in his eyes if she'd failed. The man Syaoran had called out to was now standing in front of her. "Sakura," Syaoran spoke softly, "I'd like you to meet Yamazaki. Yamazaki, I was wondering if you'd be kind enough to introduce her to Chiharu and her friends." Sakura's eyes widened, she didn't expect Syaoran to do so much for her. He'd given her a home, a new life and now he was even trying to give her friends. He really was the sweetest person she'd ever met. Unable to contain her joy any longer, she threw herself into his arms, thanking him non-stop for being so wonderful to her. Syaoran blushed slightly from her touch, his arms rising up to stroke her silky locks. Yamazaki smiled at them, "for such a beautiful flower as yourself," he old Sakura, bowing gracefully to her, and bringing her hand to his lips, "I'd be honoured." Sakura suddenly latched onto Yamazaki, hugging him tightly. Seeing Sakura giving affection to another male made Syaoran's hackles rise, but he pushed it aside, still wondering where such fierce reactions were coming from.

Sakura and Syaoran followed Yamazaki out of the practise courts and through the palace, finally stopping outside one of the guest rooms. He knocked on the door, which was soon opened to reveal a young woman with a mass of curly hair which she'd pulled up into two piggy-tails. "Chiharu!" Yamazaki cried, pulling the girl into his arms. Chiharu giggled shyly, hugging Yamazaki back. He set the still giggling girl back down, spinning her to face Sakura and Syaoran.

"This is my darling Chiharu," Yamazaki told Sakura, holding Chiharu close. Sakura wondered what it would be like to have someone hold her like that. To have someone love her so completely. She suddenly found herself dreaming that she was wrapped in someone's warm embrace. It felt so warm and comforting, so familiar. She knew the person holding her, but just as she was about to see his face, something touched her shoulder, bringing her sharply back to reality.

Sakura looked behind her to find Syaoran holding her shoulders. "This is my student Sakura," Syaoran told Chiharu, "I was hoping you would be able to introduce her to some female friends." Chiharu's eyes lit up. "You have perfect timing," Chiharu told them, "my friends are already here. They came to visit me not too long ago, would you like to come in and meet them all?" Sakura turned to stare into Syaoran's eyes, her emerald orbs pleading with his amber eyes. He smiled slightly, realising that she was silently asking his permission. His hand found its way to her cheek. "Go on", he told her, "go have some fun."

Sakura started to follow Chiharu into her room when she realised Syaoran hadn't moved. She ran back to Syaoran, clutching his hands in hers. "Aren't you going to join us?" she asked him softly, her lips pulled into the smallest semblances of a pout. Syaoran sighed, she was too damned cute to resist. "Of course I am," he told her before offering an arm to her. "Shall we?" he asked. Sakura nodded vigorously before grabbing hold of his offered arm. Yamazaki chuckled softly to himself. Had someone finally managed to tame the cold wolf? He watched them walk into Chiharu's room, following in after them.

Sakura entered the room, catching a glimpse of four young girls, before becoming the victim of a bone-crushing hug and a squeal of delight. Syaoran began to pry the offender off of Sakura's tiny body. Sakura found herself staring into two amethyst depths before realisation suddenly struck. "Tomoyo!" she cried, hugging the young seamstress back with an equal amount of force. Tomoyo pulled Sakura to her feet before introducing her to the other girls in the room. "This is Rika," Tomoyo told Sakura, indicating the girl with the shoulder length, red hair, "The girl next to her is Naoko," Tomoyo continued, pointing to another girl with short brown hair and glasses, "and this is Meiling," Tomoyo concluded, placing her hand on the shoulder of a girl with long black tresses and bright red eyes. "And of course," Chiharu added, "you've already met me," she smiled jovially at Sakura. "Girl's," Tomoyo told them, "this is the kawaii Sakura, Syaoran's new student." At the last statement, Meiling's bright red eyes darkened. She fixed Sakura with a glare so cold it could freeze the very fires of hell. Sakura shivered involuntarily from Meiling's gaze. Tomoyo suddenly pulled Sakura over to join them on the bed. Once seated, Rika and Chiharu immediately began to play with Sakura's long, silky locks, while telling her how rich the colour was, and how soft it was.

Yamazaki, sensing another boring 'girl chat session' developing, turned quickly to Syaoran. "Did you want to spar?" he asked. Syaoran glanced over at Sakura. When he had seen the frosty glare Meiling had given Sakura, he had a strong urge to envelop Sakura in his arms, but seeing Tomoyo there made him relax. Tomoyo already loved Sakura like they were sisters. As long as Tomoyo was around, nothing could harm his magelet. Turning back to Yamazaki, he nodded. They quickly shifted some furniture to make room for their match. Removing his shirt, Syaoran turned to face Yamazaki, his muscles rippling as he shifted into a fighting stance.

While the girls began to chat about everything from make-up to boys to the court gossip, the boys traded blows. Sakura soon became extremely bored with the constant nattering, sighing inwardly. Her eyes slowly began to wander the room, before coming to rest on the two boys. How she wished she could fight like Syaoran. She watched as he moved with such muscular grace, always one step ahead of Yamazaki, as if he knew exactly what the other boy was going to do, and countering it with such ease. She glanced at Yamazaki, she could tell he was tiring. His punches were losing their force, he was barely blocking Syaoran's blows, and his footwork was steadily becoming sloppier. She smiled to herself, this fight wouldn't continue for much longer.

Searching the room, Sakura spied a pitcher of water and a few cups. She carefully walked over to the pitcher, careful not to disrupt the fight. She poured two cups of the cold liquid, and, as an afterthought, pulled out two of her handkerchiefs and soaked them. She turned back to the boys just as Yamazaki admitted defeat. They promptly flopped onto the floor, breathing heavily. Syaoran closed his eyes, listening to his heart pounding in his chest. A cold, wet sensation passed over his forehead. Opening his eyes, he saw Sakura crouched beside him, mopping his face with the wet hanky. She offered him the cup of water in her hands. He smiled at her, a look of wonder in his eyes. "How did I ever manage before you came into my life?" he breathed before accepting the cool drink. He glanced over at Yamazaki, who was wiping his own face with the Sakura's other hanky. Yamazaki quickly finished the drink Sakura had given him, before fixing her with a gaze of admiration. "Syaoran," Yamazaki told him, "you are one lucky guy. How'd you manage to find such an angel to take care of you?" Syaoran felt his cheeks flush and decided to drink his water, giving him a reason not to reply.

Syaoran finished his drink and fought back a choke as he opened his eyes. Sakura's face was mere inches away from his, her eyes glowing with admiration. He blushed heavily, trying to slow his racing heart down. "Can you teach me how to fight like that too?" she asked, her eyes wide. One glance at her hopeful gaze and Syaoran couldn't bring himself to refuse her. "Sure," he told her, smiling as she wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly while she thanked him.

Syaoran stood up, before offering Sakura a hand and pulling her to her feet. Syaoran stood behind Sakura, pressing himself into her while he slowly manipulated her body into the proper stance. He wrapped one arm around her waist, twisting it slightly. Sakura suddenly found it hard to breathe. Her eyes closed and she was suddenly brought back into her dream. The embrace warmed her soul, and she suddenly felt slightly light-headed. She slowly turned, but this time she saw a mass of brown, unruly hair. The arm surrounding her waist slowly let go, bringing her crashing back to the present. A steady blush settled on her face as Syaoran finished positioning her body.

Syaoran suddenly noticed how eerily quiet the room had become. Glancing at the bed, he spotted the girls all sitting silently on the edge, watching them. His cheeks held a faint pink glow as he stood in front of Sakura. He grabbed one arm and showed her how to move her arm through the punch. Dropping her arm, he held up one hand. "Now," he told her, "hit me." She nodded before bringing her arm around, her fist lightly touching his hand. Syaoran glanced down at the tiny fist still touching his hand, he resisted a sudden urge to grab hold and not let go. "Pathetic," he told her, a wide smile on his face, "try again, and this time hit me like you mean it."

Determination glowed in her eyes as she brought her arm back. She put all the force she could muster into her fist as she swung it at Syaoran's hand. Her wild swing missed its target, but the force made her follow through. Her body spun and she felt herself begin to fall. Sakura closed her eyes and braced herself for impact, but it never came. Opening her eyes, she found herself safely wrapped in two strong arms which held her tenderly. A warm, solid mass pressed against her back.

Sakura slowly turned around, and a mass of brown hair came into view, followed by a pair of extremely concerned amber eyes. Worry lined Syaoran's face as he stared at Sakura. "Are you okay?" he whispered softly, "you're not hurt or anything?" She stifled a giggle as she smiled up at her saviour. "I'm fine," she replied, "thanks to you." A faint blush spread across her cheeks as she realised she was still wrapped tenderly in his embrace. Syaoran seemed to notice it too, because he suddenly released her and walked quickly over to the water jug and poured himself a drink.

He slowly sipped the cool liquid as he fought to regain control of his body. Holding her so close had managed to stir something inside of him, something that was beyond explanation or reason. Once he had regained his composure he walked back over to Sakura. "I think we'd better work on your aim first," he told her, bringing his hand back up, "now, forget about power or speed. Forget about everything else. Now just focus on my hand, and let your fist fly." Sakura brought her fist up, and swung again. This time her aim was true. Syaoran felt the sudden shock of the impact. He thought she was going to hit softly and hadn't braced himself for the force of her swing. He felt his feet slip out from under him. Years of training took over as his body saved him from the fall. He back-flipped and landed gracefully, a stunned look on his face.

Sakura was horrified with herself, how could she do that? She slumped to the floor, her hands covering her face as tears streamed down her soft cheeks. "I'm so sorry," she sobbed, "I didn't mean to hit you. I promise I'll never do it again. I'm just so sorry, I must seem so ungrateful, hitting you like that when you've given me so much. You must hate me." Two strong arms pulled her into a hug, silencing her babbling. "I'm not mad and I don't hate you," Syaoran whispered into her ears as he held her close, "in case you haven't noticed, I've been trying to teach you how to hit. Why would I be mad with you for doing something I told you to?" Sakura allowed her hands to fall. Syaoran brought up one large hand, wiping away the tears still falling from her bright eyes. "I just never knew that such a little thing could pack such a punch," he told her, tweaking her nose. "I'm still sorry," she whispered as she laid her head on his chest. "Come on," he pulled her to her feet, "if you hurry up and change into your mage's robes I'll take you to the market place." Her face lit up, "besides, I need to find a good book or two." Sakura ran out of the room, returning moments later in her emerald green, velvet robes. Syaoran grabbed her tiny hand in his large one and led her out of the room.


End file.
